Adam Schiff: House managers 'can and will prove' Trump is guilty of abusing power and obstructing Congress

(Image credit: Senate Television via Getty Images)

last updated 23 January 2020

House impeachment managers on Wednesday began laying out their case against President Trump, outlining why senators should move to convict and remove him from office.

The managers, led by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), presented videos of testimony they gathered during the House impeachment inquiry, as well as clips showing Trump telling ABC News' George Stephanopoulos he would accept foreign dirt on political opponents and Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney admitting a quid pro quo with Ukraine. The White House refused to turn over documents and blocked some witnesses from testifying during the inquiry, and Schiff said senators will still learn the "full truth."

"The truth is going to come out," he said. "More emails are going to come out. More witnesses are going to come forward. They're going to have more relevant information to share. And the only question is, do you want to hear it now? Do you want to know the full truth?" The managers "can and will prove President Trump guilty of this conduct and of obstructing the investigation into his misconduct," Schiff continued. "But you and the American people should know who else was involved in this scheme ... you should want to know about every player in this sordid business."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Schiff warned that if Trump is not convicted and removed from office, the president's "abuse of his office and obstruction of Congress will permanently alter the balance of power among the branches of government, inviting future presidents to operate as if they are also beyond the reach of accountability, congressional oversight, and the law." The managers and Trump's legal team both have 24 hours over three days to argue their sides.

Explore More

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox